My Northern Light
by lyricallydreamt
Summary: Hermione has a secret. She knows how an innocent young woman was murdered. No one else does. Read as Hermione uncovers the secret behind the letters, and finds courage within herself.
1. Letters

A/N: This story is based on the book called _A Northern Light_which was based on the real murder that inspired _An American Tragedy_. This is taking place in the muggle world during summer, Hermione, Ron, and Harry have finished Hogwarts and Hermione is working at an inn in the muggle world and was working for money to go to an American school. This story takes place in 1906, when the actual murder of Grace Brown happened.

Disclaimer: I own none of these characters. Credit to J.K Rowling and the author of A NORTHERN LIGHT.

"_Ronald,_

_I hope you are not worrying to much. I am perfectly safe. I'm sorry I ran away, but __something became too__ much. The__ murder__, Ronald,__ and the burden of her secret she carried, that I found out, and wasn't able to tell anyone. I will never forget it.__ I know what you are thinking now, "__You will forget it__." Well, Ronald, I assure you, __I will__ not. The terror of __knowing __some one you know __was murdered__ and have no one in the world know how it happened. This is why I am writing you. I know how that woman was murdered; these letters and my story of how I found out will be evidence enough. __I have written down my account of what happened since she gave me these letters. Let it be known, this__ is her story, not mine……._

_ Hermione J. Granger_

_1906: London, England_

"Will you fetch me some lemonade for me?" The woman asked timidly. She was sitting on the stairs in

front of the inn. I nodded and wiped my hands on my apron. "How much ice would you like, m'am?"

"None." She answered. I nodded again, trying to hide my surprise. It was a stifling hot day; I was

sweating through the rag tied in my hair like a bandana. I was also sweating through my apron, and my

apron was soaking wet. Lot of help that did me when I tried to dry my hands.

I curtsied to the nervous young woman, and turned around and walked into the inn. I pushed the door

open to the kitchen and bumped into the cook. "WATCH IT! You'll knock down this food, you lowly

serving girl." Yeah, why not remind me of that. I blushed, apologized to the red-faced cook, and stepped

by her. I saw a fellow employee picking up a tray of food. "Hey Hermione, whatcha doin' after this?"

Anna asked. "I'm picking food for the guests after I deliver this lemonade. Why?" "I just thought I'd warn

you. Table 6 is at it again, the pervert." I shuddered and rolled my eyes in annoyance. "That guy won't

give it rest will he?" Anna smiled and shook her head. She walked out of the room. Being alone except

for the fumbling cleaning boy, I quickly got my lemonade and delivered it to the young woman. I handed

the lemonade to the woman, and curtsied to her again. I was about to walk away when she stopped me.

"Wait! I have a favour to ask of you." I turned around and asked politely, "What can I do for you?" She

produced a large pile of letters. "Can you burn these letters for me?" I was confused I admit, but did not

show it. I nodded slowly, and resolved to burn these letters immediately, and tell no one about this. No

one could find out about these. Cook would become too curious, and my best friend, William, would ask

to read them. I took the letters from the girl and walked away. I would burn them right now. I opened

the kitchen door and decided to burn them in the downstairs furnace. I was about to open the

basement door when Cook walked in. I quickly drew away from the door and picked up food and started

putting it on a random tray lying around. I picked up my tray when I was done and walked out to the

dining room. Damn it! The only table that did not have food was Table Six. You see, this was Anna and I's

name for this man. I slowly walked towards him and asked if he wanted what I was serving. "I cannot

see it, what is it called? I do not have my glasses on, please read the name to me." I inwardly rolled my

eyes, knowing full well what he would do. I walked up next to him and picked up his menu and was

about to reading the name to him when I felt his hand on my upper thigh. I grimaced and grabbed his

hand and put it by his side. I quickly read the name, put the food down, and walked away to the kitchen.

Anna was back in, and noticing my pink face, smirked and said, "What did Table Six do this time?" I

motioned to my thigh and set down my empty tray. "Hermione, Anna!!" yelled Cook's voice. Anna and

I jumped. "Yes?" we asked. "The busy time is over; you can go to your rooms now." Anna and I grinned,

and practically skipped to our rooms. It was night time, and we were tired, so we got into our beds

without changing out cloths. I rolled onto my side and felt a bulge in my apron pocket. The letters. I had

forgotten about them. I should burn them. But I can't, the door is locked. Maybe tomorrow I will burn

them. Maybe, it would be easier to burn if I knew why she wanted them burned….NO! I will not look at

them! I cannot!!!!!!!!!!!! Nonetheless, I looked over to if Anna was asleep yet. Seeing that she was, I

quietly got out of bed and sat at the old wooden desk in the corner. I turned on the lamp, and, sneaking

a lance at Anna, I got the letters from my apron pocket. I opened the first one, and started to read.


	2. Death

A/N: I decided to update quicker than usual, so, I hope you enjoy this next chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. These belong to Mrs. J.K Rowling, and the plot belongs to the author of _A Northern Ligh__t _minus all the minor tweaking I did. No FLAMES! Thank you!

_Yesterday evening_

_Dear Robert,_

_I miss you so very much. I very much regret coming home to mother and sister, even if they need me. I just miss you so much, when will you come home to me? I need you. I feel so alone with out you! Please come as soon as possible…………….._

………………Okay. I scanned the rest of the letter, but was basically the same thing, over and over……….

_Please, please, come home to me my dear Robert. I miss you so much…,_

_Your,_

_Grace_

Oh my. This is so strange, what is happening? Who is this man she keeps writing-wait. I saw this man she was with, they were arguing about where they should get married. The girl, Grace, wanted to get married outside, and the man, Robert, wanted to get married in a church, all proper like. I am so confused. You know what? I'm not going to read these letters again. I will burn them tomorrow. I promise.

_This afternoon_

Anna and I were holding hands in fear as we watched the young woman's body be brought by us on the deck. Cook ran after the body, more red-faced than usual. "Get out of the way bitches! Your right in my damn way!" Cook screamed at us. Anna and I looked at each other. We were not in Cook's way at all. Nonetheless, we stepped out of "her damn way!" We stepped into The Greenville Inn and we listened in horror as the person who found the body relayed what happened. "Poor thing, she was about to be married…." Cook's voice said. "Sir, can you tell me where you found the body?" A voice Anna and I recognized all to well. _It was the Inn's owner and manager. _We never saw him, but heard him yell instructions to Cook, and insults to us, when Cook was busy, well, insulting other people. I actually find it insulting that, me, Hermione Granger, (I'm sorry I'm sounding so stuck up, but this next line is true) the greatest witch of our age, best friend to the great Harry Potter, destroyer of Voldemort, and best friend to the stubborn best friend of Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, should be reduced to having pervert's hands on my private parts! Also, getting yelled at by Cook, and the mysterious manager, and getting paid once a month! Even if the sum of once a month was quite generous, but, still, not enough to get me enough money to buy a house, and keep me supported, and work at Hogwarts as a Professor! Oh well, I'll have to work only 3 more months before I have enough money to accomplish those seemingly impossible goals. I'm not sure I can go much longer without seeing Ron or Harry… This was certainly odd, though, that the man we only ever heard _yell_, was, well, actually here before our eyes. This was surprising to Anna, I could tell, she had a very confused expression on her face. We saw William peering out of the kitchen. I motioned for him to come to us and eavesdrop-no, listen in on what was happening. He tip-toed over to us, and we went to the wall by the door and flattened ourselves against it. We heard the voices much better, and it would be fine, as long as no one, especially Cook, saw us.

"She was found in the river, when I went there fish this morning. I saw this boat floating upside down in the water by. I rowed over, and I flipped the boat over. I saw her face just staring up at me, and I knew exactly who it was. I was frightened out of my wits, but nonetheless, I got her in my boat, but I was very close to shore, so I wasn't too freaked out. I knew she went boating with her fiancé, but I couldn't find his body anywhere, and believe me, I looked everywhere. This is what I figured happened. While they were boating, the boat flipped and she got stuck under it and tried swimming out but her dress got stuck and couldn't get out. His body didn't get trapped, so he floated away. I doubt we'll find his body, I'm betting it will get eaten when it starts to decay."

Anna, William and I stifled a gasp, but Cook let out the loudest gasp I've ever heard in my life. "What a terrible way to go, I can't imagine it." Cook whispered. "Poor thing." We heard footsteps and we quickly shuffled back outside. Anna and I stood shock-still. William was just shocked. We were terrified. For once, Cook was right. What a terrible way to go, not being able to breathe, not being able to see…not being able to get unstuck, ugh…how terrible! I don't even want to imagine-"Hermione, Anna, and William!!! Get back to work you stinkin' bitches!" Cook screamed. We were rudely pulled away from our thoughts of drowning, and jumped a mile and ran back into the kitchen, each immersed with our own horrific thoughts of death. I knew I had to burn those letters tonight.

I must burn them.


End file.
